


A Familiar Face

by Rijus_Hope



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Brazil Fling (Haikyuu!!), Fluff, Getting Together, Iwaizumi Hajime is a Good Friend, M/M, Mild Language, Olympics, like really this is entirely self-indulgent fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:41:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29202249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rijus_Hope/pseuds/Rijus_Hope
Summary: It wasn’t like he still had a crush on Oikawa. Nope. Absolutely not. He was over it....Fuck.Okay, maybe he wasn't over it.Or, Oikawa and Hinata meet in Brazil, they fall fast and they fall hard, and the fling doesn't stay in Brazil.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Oikawa Tooru, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 21
Kudos: 170





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written a fic in nearly a decade (last time I posted one it was on Fanfiction.net, my dudes, it was forever ago), and I blame Oikawa Tooru entirely for this. Why do I have to love this boy so much. This is another classic case of "I wanted a fic that didn't exist, and thus I said fuck it and wrote it myself." Did I ignore my stats homework and other responsibilities to write this? Maybe.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this! I'd love to hear what you think :):)

Hinata groaned good-naturedly as the volleyball hit the sand behind him, signaling the end of the match. With a laugh, he pushed his hands through hair full of sand and sweat and jogged to the net to greet his opponents.

He had only been in Brazil for a few months, long enough that he could start to see improvements in his playing, but not nearly long enough for him to be satisfied with his growth. Luckily, he had two years to make the most of, two years to use the sandy beaches of Rio to push him farther than he had ever gone before. He could never thank Coach Ukai and Coach Washijo enough for helping him get here. For believing in him enough to give him everything they had.

Hinata was used to being underestimated on the court--as much grief as his height has given him, he has pressed forward to make it a strength instead. He didn’t have size, but he had speed, and he had power, damn it. He wasn’t, however, used to being questioned off the court. Especially by his friends and teammates. It seemed like nearly everyone had doubted Shouyou’s plan to go to Brazil. Tsukki had asked him about it as though Hinata was making an impulsive decision. As if he hadn’t been planning this since the beginning of his second year of high school.

Kageyama had tried to be supportive in his own awkward way, but ultimately his emotional intelligence ran out and he fell back on the competitive rapport they had built through their three years at Karasuno. Shouyou was sure that Kageyama wasn’t trying to be condescending, but that was how it came across when Kageyama compared his own plan--immediately recruited into the pro leagues, naturally--to Hinata’s plan to “sit on a beach for two years.” God, Shouyou loved his best friend, but sometimes he hated the setter.

Shouyou wasn’t entirely certain that he had sat down once since he arrived.

Many of his other friends had had similar reactions--Noya and Tanaka laughed before realizing he was serious, and Daichi and Suga had asked if he thought this plan through. Asahi had just been shocked speechless, and Narita and Kinoshita hadn’t known quite what to say, either. To their credit, they were all overwhelmingly supportive after talking it through with Hinata, but the orange-haired boy had grown tired of explaining himself time and time again. Yachi, Yamaguchi and, surprisingly, Ennoshita were the most supportive. Shouyou hadn’t been worried about Yachi, he knew that she would support Shouyou in anything. He wasn’t disappointed--his friend was ecstatic, and she immediately started researching Brazil to learn more about where he was headed. Shouyou had been pleasantly surprised when he called her a few weeks prior and she stumbled over a greeting in Portuguese. Yamaguchi had just given Shouyou a warm, understanding smile and told him to keep in contact, that he wanted to know all about Hinata’s time on the other side of the world.

Ennoshita… Ennoshita just knew better than to think Shouyou would make an impulsive career decision about _volleyball_ of all things. “You’re not living unless you’re on the court,” the older student said with a shrug, nonchalant in the face of Hinata’s shock (after all, Ennoshita was one of the last people he told, and he had gotten used to lackluster reactions). “Of course you’d want to play on every kind of court you can find.”

A bright smile grew on Shouyou’s face, echoing the smile he had given the former captain. He was so lucky to have the teammates he did. But his smile dimmed as he brought his attention back to his teammate and opponents, tuning in to their conversation just in time to hear them start chattering enthusiastically about the Olympics. Great.

“The Japanese team has done well this year,” one mused, shooting a sincere smile Shouyou’s way. “I bet you know half of them, Ninja Shoyou,” he teased, nudging him lightly with an elbow.

Hinata’s smile faltered once more before he forced it back on his face. It felt like plastic--did it look as fake as it felt? From his companions’ lack of concern, it must not have. “I do, actually,” he admitted. “One of them was on my high school team, and I played against some of the others too.”

He barely even noticed his companions’ exclamations of surprise and excitement, their flurry of questions. He never felt more homesick than he did when he caught a glimpse of Kageyama on the court. He wanted to be at his best friend’s side. He wanted to prove himself the way Kageyama already had. _I’m improving here_ , Hinata reminded himself furiously, trying to beat back his envy and self-doubt. _This is where I need to be right now._

But taking out his frustration by slamming the ball on the other side of the net only helped so much.

Another dig in his ribs, this one a little harder. Shouyou blinked and refocused on his partner, who smiled widely and gestured for a rematch with their last opponents. They were kind enough not to bring up his uncharacteristic silence, thank God. Hinata nodded enthusiastically, shaking his head a bit to try to clear his mind. Volleyball didn’t solve all of Hinata’s problems, but it certainly didn’t hurt, either. The now-familiar feeling of sand under his feet, the smell of the ocean, the brightness of the sun--they centered him, brought a bit of life back to his spiraling thoughts.

He let himself get lost in the back and forth of the match, laughing when they scored and lost a point alike. As frustrating as it was to lose, there was something about beach volleyball that was just so _fun_. He had just picked up the ball after a failed spike when, for the first time in months, he heard _Japanese_.

“Is this real life?”

Shouyou froze, unable to even lift his eyes. He knew that voice. But here? In Rio? Slowly, Hinata looked up to meet familiar a brown-eyed stare, both men’s eyes widening in surprise. He hadn’t changed much since high school--brown hair, bright brown eyes, characteristic smirk playing on his lips. Although right now, rather than a smirk, Oikawa Tooru’s jaw had dropped as his gaze locked with Hinata’s.

“Grand King?” _There’s no way_ , Shouyou thought. _There is no fucking way that Oikawa Tooru is standing in front of me right now._ He may have stopped breathing. “W-what are you doing here?” He cursed his voice for cracking over the words, but on the other hand, he was just glad he wasn’t speechless entirely.

Something flashed in Oikawa’s eyes at Hinata’s use of his old nickname, gone too quickly for the orange-haired boy to catch, but he seemed to relax slightly. His lips started to quirk into a small smile, which only grew until he was grinning at Shouyou, much to his surprise. Was that _relief_ Hinata saw? “Shouldn’t that be my line, Chibi-chan?” he teased, raising an eyebrow.

Well, if there was any doubt before, it was gone now. It was definitely him. Strangely, Shouyou could feel himself relaxing too, and before he knew it he was grinning right back at the setter. “I _live_ here,” he said with mock exasperation, gesturing to the city behind Oikawa as he approached the brunet. “It’s definitely my line, Oikawa-san.”

Oikawa’s gaze raked over Hinata slowly, thoroughly, enough to make him feel a bit like a bug under a microscope. However, there was no condescension or judgment in his eyes when he asked, “What brought you here? A bit far from home, don’t you think?” He didn’t just sound genuinely confused, he sounded...interested. Something like a challenge was gleaming in his eyes, as though he thought he knew the answer, and really wanted to be right.

Shouyou cracked another smile, pointing back to the game he had basically abandoned. It looked like someone else had jumped in to fill Shouyou’s spot, so he didn’t feel as bad about leaving. “Training,” he explained. “I wanted to train in beach volleyball--you wouldn’t believe how different it is.”

Satisfaction blazed in the brunet’s eyes--he had gotten the answer he wanted, Hinata guessed. “Only you would have the guts to move halfway across the world, alone, for volleyball.”

It was Hinata’s turn to raise an eyebrow, eyes dragging over Oikawa appraisingly. “Yeah, like you’re one to talk.”

Oikawa opened his mouth, closed it, and pressed his lips together with a furrowed brow. “Okay, that’s fair,” he admitted. Hinata stifled a laugh, grinning as he met the older man’s gaze. “Oh, shut up, Chibi-chan,” he whined good-naturedly. “You used to be nicer than this.”

Shouyou shrugged casually, giving Oikawa a crooked smile. “A lot can change in three years, _Grand King_.” He could practically feel his eyes light up as the idea came to him. “Oikawa-san, play volleyball with me!”

“I--what?”

“Come play volleyball with me!” Hinata repeated, grabbing Oikawa’s wrist instinctively. “We play in two-person teams here, it would be so much fun to play with you!”

Oikawa paused, considering as his eyes swept over the beach, but before he could say anything, Shouyou’s stomach decided to speak up instead. After a beat of silence, Oikawa burst out laughing. “Sure you don’t need to grab some food instead?” he teased.

Hinata flushed, cursing his appetite’s poor timing, but brightened quickly. “Come with me?”

Oikawa took his time weighing his options--possibly hoping that Shouyou’s stomach would interrupt again for his own amusement--before giving a careless shrug that contrasted with his small, pleased smile. “I suppose I have nothing else to do,” he sighed. “And since you live here, I expect you know where all the best food is.”

Hinata smiled. “Oh, I can definitely do that.” It was only after he began walking that he realized he was still holding on to Oikawa’s wrist. He snatched his hand back as if burned, face heating up. “Sorry about that,” he mumbled, before returning to a normal volume. “Come on!” Satisfied that Oikawa was following him (although not without a soft laugh, likely amused by Shouyou’s embarrassment) Hinata wound through the crowds towards one of his favorite restaurants.

Only when they were seated did Oikawa speak again. “How often do you come here?” he asked, bemused. “It seems like everyone here knows you.”

Before he could answer, another greeting was shouted at Hinata, and he waved enthusiastically with a smile before turning back to Oikawa. “Well, a lot of the beach volleyball players come here a lot,” he said, “so most of them are people I’ve played with--or against.”

“So you get around, then, do you, Shouyou?” Oikawa’s smile was mischievous, eyes glinting in the low light of the restaurant. “I wouldn’t have taken you for that kind of guy.”

Hinata didn’t answer right away, but his face didn’t flush the way Oikawa was probably expecting. Actually, Shouyou _had_ slept with a few of the people here--some volleyball players, some not. After a moment, though, the fact that he knew Oikawa was teasing him made him burst into laughter, thoroughly surprising the brunet across from him. It took him a few minutes to collect himself, since looking at the confusion on Oikawa’s face just made him laugh harder. “You all right there, Chibi-chan?” the older man asked lightly, laughing a bit as if Shouyou’s amusement was contagious.

After a few more moments of struggling, Hinata calmed enough to answer. “Like I said, Grand King,” he said, smile sharpening. “A lot has changed in the last three years. Maybe I do.” And just to throw Oikawa off further, he let his eyes wander over the brunet’s face leisurely, smile never wavering.

Okay, so maybe it wasn’t _just_ to catch Oikawa off guard. The man was still unfairly beautiful. That was part of why Hinata had been so nervous around him in high school, after all. With his undeniable skill and his ridiculously good looks, Hinata may have had a _tiny_ crush on the setter. Not that he ever told anyone. He hadn’t wanted Kageyama to remove his head from his body, and the rest of his team hadn’t exactly been fond of Aoba Johsai either.

Sometimes, though, Hinata could swear that Suga knew. It was like that man could read minds. He never talked to Hinata about it, though, for which he will be eternally grateful.

But it didn’t matter, because it wasn’t like he _still_ had a crush on Oikawa.

Nope.

Absolutely not.

He was over it. He was just teasing the other man.

Oikawa definitely seemed surprised, but not at all disappointed. If anything, the interest in his gaze sparked further. “Oh?” he asked lightly, leaning forward slightly. “I guess I really don’t know you anymore, Chibi-chan. It seems you’re not the little shrimp I remember.” And with a slow smirk, Oikawa let his gaze wander over Shouyou the same way he had just done to the brunet. And now Shouyou definitely wasn’t breathing. Then, just to put the final nail in Shouyou’s coffin, Oikawa _winked._

_Fuck._

_Damn it._

Okay, so maybe he _wasn’t_ over it.

Oikawa leaned back with a satisfied smirk, eyes never leaving Hinata’s, and Hinata really needed to find a change of topic before he actually died on the spot.

“You never said why you were in Rio.” It took him a few tries to get his voice working, but it was steady, and that’s all Shouyou cared about.

"Hm? Oh, I play for Argentina,” the setter responded with a shrug. “Left Japan just after graduation. My team’s here for a week-long training. We just got here today, and let me tell you, I did not wake up this morning thinking I would run into an old rival from Miyagi of all places.”

Hinata found himself leaning forward, eyes widening. “You play for Argentina?” he repeated. He couldn’t help the excitement that spilled over, questions tumbling from his lips one after the other. “That’s so cool! I bet you’re even better now than you were in high school. Your serves were always hell to receive, like BAM and _gwaah_ , so I can’t even imagine what it’s like now. What’s it like playing in the pro leagues? Especially in another country? Do you like it? Do you like Argentina? What’s your team like? Are you guys close? Are they all--”

“Chibi-chan,” Oikawa broke in, struggling to contain his laughter. “I can’t exactly _tell_ you any of that if you keep asking questions.”

Hinata’s face heated again, and he slapped his hands over his face. “God, I’m sorry,” he groaned. “I always do this, it used to drive Tsukki insane.” Only Yachi had really been able to keep up with his boundless enthusiasm.

There was a gentle tug on his wrist, and Hinata blinked as Oikawa pulled his hands from his face. “Don’t worry about it, I don’t think you’d be Hinata Shouyou without all that energy. Besides,” he continued, voice becoming much more dramatic as he pressed a hand to his chest, “it’s only natural that you would want to know all about what I’ve been doing these past years. I am amazing, after all.

“But as for how I play now…” He grinned conspiratorially at Hinata. “I believe you asked me to play volleyball with you earlier, if I’m not mistaken.”

And that was all it took for Hinata to grab Oikawa again, excitement overriding any apprehension he might have felt at the man’s closeness or any thoughts that Oikawa had deflected all of his questions, and the pair made their way towards the beach once more.

“And you’re telling me you do this every _day_?” Oikawa dropped onto the sand beside Hinata with a pout. “You came to Brazil to subject yourself to _this_? I suppose it explains the tan.”

Shouyou laughed, leaning back on his forearms as he watched the waves roll in with the fading daylight. “Pretty much,” he affirmed. “You’re picking it up faster than I did, though.” And it was true. Sure, Oikawa had fallen on his face the first time he tried to set on the sand, but after two games he had regained a fair amount of the control he had on a traditional court. “Unless the wind decides to interfere,” he added slyly.

“This atmosphere has it out for me!” Oikawa insisted, pointing at Hinata with a frown. “So many beautiful sets ruined because the wind decided it likes the other team more than me.”

“I don’t think that’s how that works, Oikawa-san,” he responded, still smiling in the face of Oikawa’s melodramatic accusations against the literal wind, of all things.

“It absolutely is,” he repeated. “Does the wind hate you, too, or is it just me?”

“Are you kidding?” Hinata exclaimed. “You literally watched the wind blow one of my spikes out of bounds like ten minutes ago! It messes with everyone, Oikawa-san, you’re not special,” he teased gently. Oikawa looked like he couldn’t decide whether to be relieved or offended.

“Really, though,” Shouyou continued earnestly. “This is exactly why I came here, Oikawa-san! Because you don’t have a perfectly maintained court for you to play on. You don’t have solid ground beneath your feet. The wind is your opponent too.” He nudged Oikawa playfully, and the brunet let out a chuckle. “It’s an entirely different way of playing volleyball.”

For a few moments the only noise came from the waves gently washing along the shore. Hinata glanced at his companion; Oikawa looked contemplative. The moonlight made it almost seem like he was glowing. “Isn’t it frustrating, though?” Oikawa asked, so quietly that Hinata almost didn’t hear him at all. “It’s like you’re back to square one, no matter how hard you’ve worked. Why would you knock yourself back like that?”

A rush of affection flooded through Hinata, and he smiled softly at Oikawa. This was another reason he had looked up to the setter so much in high school. Kageyama was an amazing setter and friend, and he never let Hinata down, not even once. But when Hinata looked at Oikawa, he saw the same hunger, the same determination in those brown eyes that he saw every day when he looked in the mirror. The burning desire, the _need_ to work hard enough, play well enough, _be_ enough. They’re the eyes of someone who faces roadblocks at every turn, and still refuses to give up. They’re the eyes of someone who no one expects to succeed, so they work themselves to the bone to prove them wrong.

“Yeah, it is,” he responded, just as quietly. Oikawa started slightly in surprise, turning to meet Hinata’s eyes. “I get frustrated every day. It reminds me of middle school, when all I wanted to do was play, but I just wasn’t good enough to stand on the court. It’s like when I first started playing with Kageyama, and really I was just a tool for him to use, not an actual player. He did the work to set the ball, he just used me to get the point. It’s great, because I’m playing, but at the same time, it’s like I’m not playing at all.”

“Why, then?” Again, there was no judgment in Oikawa’s voice. Just curiosity, interest. “Why willingly go through all that again?”

Hinata shrugged. “Because the end result will be worth it.” He smiled slightly as he shook his head. “And because there’s just something about learning a new skill, figuring something out, you know? When you get really good at volleyball, you don’t really improve drastically anymore. It’s tiny changes to perfect what you’ve already got. I had forgotten what it felt like to play completely differently every day, because every day I learn something new.”

Oikawa shifted again to lay on his back, watching the stars appear above them. “That’s a lot of patience,” he remarked.

“Nah, I just _really_ love volleyball.”

Oikawa let out a surprised bark of laughter, eyes crinkling slightly as he looked up at Shouyou. “You’re something else, Chibi-chan.”

Shouyou rolled his eyes. “Okay, _please_ stop calling me that. I do have a name, you know.”

Oikawa hummed, thinking it over. “All right,” he conceded, “Hina-chan it is! Or maybe Shou-chan. That would be good too.”

Hinata let out a dramatic sigh, flopping down to lay next to Oikawa. “What did I do to deserve this?”

“Hey, you’re the one who asked me to play volleyball with you.”

Hinata, as always, brightened at the mention of volleyball. “That’s true. Does that mean you’ll come play tomorrow, too?”

“Wait, why would that imply I’m coming tomorrow, too?” Oikawa’s pout was back. “For all you know, I’ll be busy. That’s pretty presumptuous, Hina-chan.”

Hinata paused, a seed of doubt growing in his mind. He was pretty sure Oikawa was kidding, but what if he wasn’t? Was Shouyou going too far? Maybe Oikawa meant for this to be a one-day thing, then they’d go back to their own separate lives. As if this never happened. “Oh, right, you’re here with your team and I bet you have a lot of practicing to do, training camps always kept Karasuno really busy so if you don’t want to or you don’t have time then I--”

“Hina-chan.” Oikawa’s fondly exasperated voice cut through his rambling. “Relax. I was kidding. I… I’d like to do this again.” His voice was growing quieter, but he continued anyway. “Today has been really nice.”

Hinata closed his eyes with a sigh. _Get it together, Shouyou, he berated himself. Everything’s fine. He wants to see you again, too. You’re not bothering him._ “It has,” he agreed, just as softly. They laid in companionable silence for a while, until the night air started to cool noticeably. A shiver jolted him out of his thoughts, and he turned his head to the side to see Oikawa looking back at him. “Time to head back, I think,” Hinata said ruefully, and the brunet nodded, but neither moved to stand just yet.

Hinata frowned, arguing internally, before thinking _Fuck it_ and propping himself up on an elbow to look down at the setter. “Oikawa-san?” he asked quietly.

Oikawa must have heard something in his tone, because he stilled and gave Hinata his full attention. “Hm?”

“Thanks for… well, everything really,” Shouyou began. “Honestly, earlier today I was a little depressed, and I was letting the frustration get to me. I wasn’t as good as I wanted to be, and I started to wonder if I ever would be. But then you showed up, and I was super happy. I hadn’t realized how much I missed home until I saw you.”

Oikawa’s eyes were soft, and he opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He took a deep breath and tried again, but couldn’t seem to find the words he wanted to say. He let out a frustrated huff, rubbing a hand over his face in exasperation. After a few moments he met Hinata’s eyes again, chewing on his lip. With a decisive, nearly imperceptible nod, he pushed himself up onto his elbows, and suddenly their faces were inches apart.

Shouyou’s breath caught in surprise. He couldn’t move. His brain stopped functioning. All he could do was stare at Oikawa, who took a deep breath to steel himself and moved forward to rest his forehead against Hinata’s. Without conscious thought, his hand moved, sliding up Oikawa’s neck to cup the side of his face as his eyes slipped shut. Hinata may have been stunned, his heart may have been pounding, but having Oikawa this close to him just felt _right_.

He felt a shaky breath, heard a nervous whisper, “Shouyou, can I… can I kiss you?”

And with a smile, Shouyou closed the gap between them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All right, who's ready for some more disgustingly cute Oihina? Thank you to everyone who has read this so far, I'm so happy to hear you've enjoyed it!

“Do you think your roommate would let me hide here instead of going back to Argentina tomorrow?”

Hinata glanced over his shoulder at the brown-haired man in his bed, eyebrows raised. “I’m sure he would, yeah, but you’d last about two days without your job before going stir-crazy. Beach volleyball wouldn’t do it for you.”

“I hate that you know me so well.” Oikawa’s voice was muffled; he must have had his face pressed against the pillows. “Can’t you just let me pretend for a little while?” he asked plaintively. Shouyou turned just as Oikawa sat up, looking at the shorter man with an exaggerated pout on his face.

Shouyou rolled his eyes and made his way over to the bed, flopping onto the mattress and putting his head in Oikawa’s lap. Long fingers immediately started combing through his hair, and Hinata’s eyes closed as he replied. “Isn’t that what we’ve been doing all week?” The fingers in his hair faltered, and Shouyou sighed wearily. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I shouldn’t have said that. I just wish you had more time here.” He caught the hand passing through his curls and brought it to his lips, placing a kiss on Oikawa’s knuckles.

It had been surprisingly easy for Oikawa to carve out a place for himself in Hinata’s life. Scarily easy, in all honesty. In the mornings Oikawa would go to his team’s practice and Hinata would go to work. Hinata got off before Oikawa’s practice ended, so Oikawa would come find him when he was done. It was never hard to find him--Shouyou was consistent. It was just a matter of finding which beach volleyball court Shouyou was on. Oikawa would watch him play for a set or two, then play a few games with him before dinner.

It would probably shock his friends to the core, but Hinata actually wasn’t spending all of his time with Oikawa playing volleyball. He ended up showing the brunet around his part of Rio, bringing him to the best restaurants and telling him which to avoid at all costs, wandering through the streets where he made his deliveries, even showing him the little tourist traps in the area. Eventually they’d head home--either to Shouyou’s apartment or Oikawa’s hotel room, it didn’t matter--and then the next morning they’d do it all over again.

As much as he loved volleyball, in the back of his mind he had known that volleyball, unlike Oikawa, would be around for longer than just a week. He didn’t want to waste a moment of their time together. Thankfully, Oikawa had seemed to think the same thing.

“I know, I know.” Oikawa’s fingers tightened around Shouyou’s, and Shouyou opened his eyes to meet the setter’s brown gaze. “You’re right, we’ve been pretending all week. I was always going to leave eventually.”

Shouyou sat up and moved to sit next to Oikawa, who looped an arm around him and drew him in until Hinata’s head rested on the brunet’s shoulder. “You know I’m coming with you to the airport tomorrow, right?” he asked.

Oikawa laughed, and Shouyou’s heart lightened at the bright sound. “I knew better than to even think otherwise,” he replied, pressing his lips to the top of Shouyou’s head.

In spite of the other man’s closeness, Hinata couldn’t help but feel the distance growing between them. Not that either of them were pulling away--no, their circumstances were. Their lives, which weren’t just in different cities, but different _countries_ , were definitely working against the pair. Shouyou had been trying to get himself to recognize that their relationship wasn’t going to continue when Oikawa left the next day.

First of all, they couldn’t continue their relationship if they had never officially been in one. Thankfully, for all of Shouyou’s doubts and fears, the sincerity of Oikawa’s feelings wasn’t among them, so it wasn’t as if Shouyou thought he was unwanted. But it had only been a week. A week where they had spent every spare moment together, yes, but still only seven days. That was nothing against the years since their last meeting, against the ambiguity of the future. Who knew when Oikawa would come to Rio again, or if Shoyou would ever have the chance to go to Argentina?

As if that wasn’t enough, Shouyou knew that he was only in Brazil temporarily. He was here to train so he could enter the pro leagues in _Japan_. These two years were just a means to an end, not a destination, not a home.

No, it would be better for them to set this week aside, to continue a friendship but nothing more. A friendship was sustainable from a different country. Knowing it would be the most reasonable thing to do didn’t make it hurt any less, though.

“Shouyou?”

The quiet voice broke him out of his melancholy thoughts, and he pressed his face more firmly into the older man’s chest. “Hm?”

“You know how you thanked me, that first night? You said that you had been depressed, and that I had helped.” Oikawa laced his fingers through Shouyou’s, his thumb rubbing gentle circles on the back of Hinata’s hand. He waited until Shouyou nodded to continue. “I felt like I should have been saying that to you, instead.”

Shouyou’s brows drew together and he pulled back just enough to see the brunet’s face. After a split second’s indecision, he shifted to sit on Oikawa’s lap instead, a knee on either side of the setter. He brought his free hand to the side of Oikawa’s face, smiling when the brunet leaned into the touch. “Tooru? What do you mean?”

Oikawa sighed, but didn’t avoid Hinata’s gaze. “I had forgotten what it was like to be so enthusiastic about volleyball. I had forgotten how it felt to have so much energy to devote to life in general. Then I found you.” His mouth stretched into a true smile, light entering his eyes. “God, Shouyou, you reminded me of how _fun_ volleyball is. Somewhere along the way, something had changed, and it was my job rather than my passion. I had forgotten why I loved it.” He shrugged. “But your energy is so contagious. I felt it just by being around you.”

Shouyou gave a wry chuckle. “Figures we’d find each other again right when we needed it most.”

Oikawa smiled mischievously. “Does that mean that if I need you enough, I’ll find you in Argentina, too?”

Shouyou broke into laughter, shaking his head incredulously. Instead of answering, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to Tooru’s. The brunet responded immediately, an arm wrapping around Shouyou’s waist while the other hand buried itself in orange hair (Tooru seemed to really like his hair, Shouyou had noticed). Shouyou could feel Tooru’s smile against his own, and he tilted his head to deepen the kiss, pressing forward more firmly so there was no space between their bodies.

Oikawa inhaled sharply, fingers tightening in Shouyou’s hair, and bit the spiker’s lip playfully, drawing a soft sound from the back of Hinata’s throat. Breaking away from Hinata’s lips, Tooru pressed kissed along the other’s jaw and down his neck. He let his tongue tease Shouyou’s skin as he moved across the younger man’s collarbones, relishing the way it made Shouyou’s breath hitch.

It didn’t take long for Shouyou to pull him back up to his lips, not that Tooru put up much of a fight. Tooru kissed him gently, thumb brushing over Shouyou’s cheek as their movements slowed. A few moments later, Tooru pulled back just enough to press a soft kiss to Shouyou’s forehead, then pulled the younger man into a hug. Shouyou sighed and sunk into the embrace, letting the silence fall over them like a blanket, warm and comforting.

“We’ll be okay.” Shouyou didn’t know how much time had passed before he broke the silence. “You’re going to be the best setter Argentina has ever seen, you know.”

“I resent the implication that I’m not _already_ the best setter Argentina has ever seen.” Oikawa tried to sound offended, but Shouyou could feel him shaking with suppressed laughter. “Such disrespect, Shou-chan.”

“Someone’s gotta keep you on your toes.”

“I already have Iwa-chan if I want someone to be mean to me,” Oikawa complained. “You’re supposed to be nice to me.”

Shouyou hummed thoughtfully. “I’m not sure what made you think that, Tooru. What makes you think that I’m nicer than Iwaizumi-san?”

Tooru scoffed. “Oh, please. Shou, you are _literal_ sunshine. It’s blinding.”

“I don’t think Kageyama would agree with you about calling me ‘sunshine,’” Hinata mused, trying to be difficult even as warmth spread through his chest at the other man’s words. Oikawa had told him that he had helped the setter regain his enthusiasm for the sport they both loved, but Shouyou liked the idea that he could have that effect off the court as well. _Ah, damn it_ , he thought ruefully. _I guess I am nicer than Iwaizumi-san._ He found it difficult to be too upset by the thought.

Both men jumped slightly when the stillness was shattered by a phone ringing. Hinata rolled off of Oikawa to grab his phone, and he couldn’t help but laugh at what he saw on the screen. “Speak of the devil, it’s Kageyama calling.”

Faster than Shouyou could blink, much less answer the phone, Tooru crossed the room, plucked the phone out of his hand and silenced it. “Nope,” he said brightly. “Tobio-chan can talk to you tomorrow. I’m very needy, Shou-chan. I’ll wither away if you don’t pay attention to me.” Eyes lighting up at the sound of Shouyou’s laughter, Oikawa pulled him back towards the bed with minimal resistance.

“For tonight, Shouyou, you’re mine.”

Tooru couldn’t stop his leg from bouncing in as he and Shouyou took a cab to the airport. The anticipation was always the worst part. The moments leading up to the farewell, the rising anxiety as he wondered whether he was making a mistake. They had talked about it early in the week, and they had decided that pursuing a relationship wouldn’t be possible right now. It had been a mutual decision, and Oikawa knew it was the smartest decision for both of them.

Then why did his chest feel so tight? Why did everything in him recoil at the thought of following their plan?

Warm fingers intertwined with his, and Tooru looked up to find Shouyou smiling brightly at him. “Tooru, we’re here.” He pulled gently on the brunet’s hand. “Time to go.”

Honestly, Tooru didn’t remember a thing about checking in for his flight, or anything up to the security line, where Shouyou took a deep, steadying breath. Tooru just felt more unbalanced than ever. “Make sure you text me when you land, so I know you got there safely,” the ginger reminded him, as if he hadn’t told Tooru the same thing ten times in the past two hours.

Tooru stopped for a moment to take Shouyou in. He wasn’t sure why he was trying to memorize the exact shade of the shorter man’s hair, or the light in his eyes. They literally already had plans for a video call in a few days. Tooru wasn’t about to forget what Shouyou looked like. _It won’t be the same_ , his mind whispered, but he shut the voice down mercilessly. Shouyou had said it himself the night before--they would be fine.

 _Are you okay with just being ‘fine?’_

He was broken out of his thoughts when Shouyou pulled him into a tight hug, arms winding around the setter’s neck as Tooru’s naturally wrapped around his waist. “Remember, you’re going to be the best setter Argentina has ever seen,” Shouyou said softly, speaking into his ear. “You’ll have to tell me when your games are so I can force Pedro to watch them with me. I need someone to roast you with me.”

“Poor Pedro,” Oikawa lamented, though the effect was ruined by a soft chuckle.

“He’ll survive,” Shouyou responded dismissively, loosening his hold on Tooru and sliding out of his arms. Tooru pouted slightly but didn’t argue. He shouldn’t keep his team waiting.

“Well, I’ll just have to be more charming and impressive than I already am, to make it up to Pedro while he’s being held hostage by you.” It was easy, comforting, to slide back into the persona he had built up during high school. This way leaving would roll right off of him--for now, at least, and that was all he needed. “Well, Shou-chan, I’ll see you around. Let me know if you’re ever in Argentina.”

He forced himself to turn from the ginger’s fragile smile and cheerful farewell, but the security line was moving far too slowly for this. He already had too much time to think, and it had been about thirty seconds. Iwa-chan would smack him for being impatient. Oikawa thought back to a conversation he had had with Iwaizumi on his first night in Rio--the only night Shouyou and Tooru hadn’t spent together.

_“So just to make sure I have this right,” Iwa-chan said slowly, and Tooru could practically see his eyebrows furrowing. “You met Karasuno’s number 10 on the beach in Rio, spent the rest of the day together, and then made out on the beach?”_

_Tooru thought for a moment, then shrugged. “That about covers it, yeah.”_

_“Well, Shittykawa, what are you gonna do about it?”_

_The question caught Oikawa off guard, and he had to blink a few times before he could respond. “What do you mean, Iwa-chan?”_

_“I mean,” Iwa-chan started, complete with an exasperated sigh, “am I going to have to give Hinata the shovel talk, considering I’m the tired father in this situation?”_

_“Iwa-chan!” Oikawa protested, a slight whine entering his tone. “You’re supposed to be my best friend, not my father.”_

_“Just answer the question.”_

_Oikawa sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying not to overthink what had happened and failing miserably. “Probably not. No matter what happens here, I have to go back to Argentina, and he’s staying here. Who knows? Maybe this will be just what I need while I’m here, but it’s just that. While I’m here. I’m sure he feels the same way. He’s the only person I’ve ever met that is as serious about volleyball as I am.”_

_That’s it?” Iwa-chan sounded distinctly unimpressed. “Geography is your biggest concern? Tooru, it has never been easier to keep in contact with people who live on the other side of the world. That’s what we’re literally doing right now, Shittykawa. What are you really worried about?”_

_Sometimes Oikawa hated how well his best friend knew him. Sometimes he uncovered things that Tooru himself hadn’t even picked up on yet. “I already miss my family, I already miss you, I already miss home enough--I don’t know if I can add another person to that list, Iwa-chan.”_

_Iwa-chan sighed, but this time it sounded much less exasperated and much more empathetic. “That makes sense, Tooru, it really does. Getting close to people is kind of the worst. It’s always a gamble. Sometimes it hurts, like when you and your best friend run off to different continents right after graduation.” Tooru heard the smirk in his voice and had to laugh along with him. “But Tooru, we’ll never know the future. We’ve just got to take what we have and make the most of it.”_

_“Which is why I’ll make the most of this week, while I’m here, and then I’ll go back to Argentina.”_

_“If that’s what you really want, then all right.” Iwa-chan’s voice was calm, nonjudgmental. He had always been there when Oikawa needed him. “But Tooru, getting close to people can hurt, yes, but you’re just looking at the negative side, here. Loving people can hurt more than anything, but it can make you happier than you’ve ever been._

_“Tooru, you deserve to be happy. And so does he.”_

Tooru blinked with a frown as the line moved a little more. Would he regret this? He already regretted enough in his life, he had made enough stupid decisions to last a lifetime and then some. Obviously, he still had to catch his flight, but… 

_Oh, for the love of God, Iwa-chan, fine._

Unlike the romantic movies that Oikawa would stubbornly deny watching (and enjoying), Oikawa leaving the line was nothing dramatic. He didn’t have to chase after Shouyou--the spiker hadn’t left, probably waiting until Tooru made it through security before heading home. He _was_ looking down at his phone, though, so he didn’t see Tooru’s approach until he was only a few feet away. “Tooru?” His eyes widened in surprise and, most likely, a hint of exasperation. “What are you doing? You need to--”

It was pretty difficult for him to continue lecturing Tooru when his mouth was otherwise occupied. Despite his shock, Shouyou gladly returned the kiss, hands rising to grip Oikawa’s shirt tightly. Tooru felt like he could breathe for the first time all day, a feeling of rightness sliding into place. When Tooru pulled back, it was only enough to see the other’s eyes. “Shou, I don’t want to just be friends. I know what we said, but we can make it work. I want to make it work.” Heart in his throat, Tooru watched Shouyou nervously, hoping he hadn’t just made an absolute fool of himself.

Slowly, a smile spread across Shouyou’s face. Unlike the other smiles from that morning, there was nothing fragile or forced about it. He threw his arms around Tooru’s neck. “Thank God you’re braver than I am,” the ginger said, voice shaking slightly. “I mean, usually I’m not one to hesitate--I crashed a training camp during my first year, for fuck’s sake. Somehow this was so much harder than that was, and I thought Coach Washijo was going to _kill_ me.”

“Thank Iwa-chan,” Tooru replied honestly. “He’s the reason for most of the good decisions I make. Earlier this week he said something ridiculous about us deserving to be happy. What a sap.”

“I don’t think you have room to call anyone a sap,” Shouyou laughed, and his arms tightened around the setter’s neck. “Okay, Tooru.” He pulled back, but left one arm slung around him, lazily playing with Oikawa’s hair. Tooru wasn’t sure he had ever seen such an honest expression of _joy_ on Shouyou’s face before. “Let’s do this.”

Tooru knew he had a flight to catch. He had teammates waiting for him. But as he kissed Shouyou again, he shrugged off the thought of his responsibilities, if only for a brief moment. Some things were more important, and this was definitely one of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the most disgustingly fluffy thing I've ever written in my life, damn.
> 
> Iwaizumi Hajime for Best Friend of the Year, this man is at least 82% of Oikawa's common sense. Oikawa is a rom-com waiting to happen, and Iwaizumi is just along for the ride.
> 
> Just as a heads up, this will probably end up being either 3 or 4 chapters total, so I should finish it pretty soon. Once again, thanks for reading, and let me know what you think! :):)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for the Olympics, featuring Bokuto and Akaashi as Shouyou's dads, and Iwaizumi still just along for the ride. He loves his idiots, really.

“Shouyou, staring at the road isn’t going to bring us there any faster,” Akaashi said quietly from the seat behind the ginger. Though his words could be considered reprimanding, it was dismissed by the clear amusement lacing his tone.

“Ah, but Keiji, he’s just so excited!” Bokuto exclaimed from his seat next to his husband. He was bouncing in his seat, acting more excited than Shouyou, honestly, but he calmed when Akaashi put a hand on his arm.

“It still isn’t going to get us there any faster,” Iwaizumi added, eyes closed as he sat next to Hinata. He had probably been hoping to sleep during the bus ride, but any hope of sleep had evaporated as soon as Bokuto sat down. Not that the rest of the bus was quiet, really. Sure, Ushijima almost never spoke, and Kageyama wasn’t exactly the most social person either, but Ushijima had brought Tendou. He and Hoshiumi had hit it off immediately, and Shouyou could almost see the life draining from Iwaizumi’s eyes. So, really, Bokuto’s group had been the lesser of two evils, when it came to escaping the team’s chaos.

Shouyou rolled his eyes, turning to look at the couple behind him. “I know, you’ve only told me like ten times since we left.”

“And I’ll say it again,” Akaashi deadpanned, eliciting a laugh from the younger man. “But really, Shouyou,” he continued. “We’ll be there soon enough. Relax.”

Shouyou dropped back into his seat with a sigh, feigning annoyance, but they both knew there was no heat behind it. After all, Shouyou doesn’t know what he would have done without these three over the last four years. Long distance had been fucking hard on him and Tooru, just as they imagined it would be, and it only got harder when Shouyou returned to Japan. Never once did they miss their video calls, they were always in contact, but seeing each other on a screen could only help so much. Sometimes it just made Shouyou miss him more.

Usually, those were the days where Shouyou would call Iwaizumi to join the athletic trainer on a run. The older man’s calm demeanor helped ground him, and he ran fast and far enough that Shouyou couldn’t think about anything else.

Every few days he would find himself at Bokuto and Akaashi’s apartment, too. When he returned to Japan, Bokuto had enthusiastically invited his ‘crow son’ over to catch up. It was the most fun Shouyou had had in a long time, and Akaashi enjoyed having someone else to match Bokuto’s energy so he could sit back and enjoy the show, so Shouyou ended up at their apartment frequently. So frequently, in fact, that they had given him a key a few months ago. Even Iwaizumi had started coming, when Akaashi called to invite Shouyou to dinner while he was out with Iwaizumi.

They had made Shouyou feel like part of their family, and his closeness with them meant they had definitely heard their fair share about Tooru. Bokuto could always cheer him up, but Akaashi was especially helpful. He let Shouyou talk, never interrupting, until he was out of words to say. That’s when the dark-haired man would weigh in, always validating the strain distance was putting on both Shouyou and Tooru, but firmly reminding him to remember why it’s worth it. Then Bokuto would give him a hug (he gave really good hugs). Damn, those two were a good team.

And although they were separated for months on end, they did still manage to see each other as often as possible. Spending a weekend in Rio when Oikawa’s practice was cancelled, Shouyou flying back to Japan out of Argentina so he could spend a few days with Tooru beforehand, and sometimes Tooru even flew to Japan for a few days at a time to see his family, Iwaizumi, and Shouyou. This, however, had been the longest they had ever gone without seeing each other in person. Preparation for the Olympics had swallowed both of them whole, so there was no chance that either of them could get away. The long separation was part of why he was so antsy.

Also, he was going to the fucking  _ Olympics _ . So there was that, too.

And then there was the fact that, other than Bokuto and Iwaizumi, no one on the team knew that Shouyou was dating Tooru.

Shouyou really hadn’t been trying to keep it a secret. When he was asked about Brazil he always ended up telling them about his boyfriend back in South America, and how he plays volleyball, too. Somewhere along the line, though, everyone seemed to have assumed that the boyfriend in question was in Brazil, and that Shouyou had met him through beach volleyball. They had never even asked for his name, or a picture. At first their lack of curiosity had been a little disappointing (because, although he wasn’t trying to hide his relationship, it wasn’t like he was going to walk up to Kageyama and Ushijima one day and say “I’m dating the guy you can’t stand”), but the longer it went on, the funnier Shouyou found it. It had been  _ four years _ , and  _ none _ of his teammates had caught on, nor had most of his friends.

The exception? Yachi. He had called her the day Tooru left Rio the first time, freaking out a bit about the relationship they had just spontaneously started. Her genuine excitement and happiness for him had helped immensely. She never mentioned it to anyone, leaving that to Shouyou, but now she found it as funny as Shouyou did, gladly staying quiet to see how long this would go on.

And for such an outspoken, energetic guy, Bokuto was remarkably good at respecting someone’s privacy. He and Akaashi had found out a few months into the relationship, when Bokuto was Skyping Shouyou while Tooru was getting settled in for a weekend with his boyfriend. And considering Iwaizumi’s advice was what got them together in the first place? Yeah, Tooru had probably called him the second he had passed through security.

Now, though? Now Shouyou had decided that, funny as this had been, he had had enough, and Tooru agreed. So at some point while they were here, they were going to make it  _ very _ clear to the Japanese team that they were together.

Yachi had made Bokuto  _ swear _ to catch their reactions on video, or at least get pictures. The ace had gleefully agreed.

A large hand ruffled Shouyou’s hair rather aggressively, bringing his attention back to his present surroundings. “Shouyou,” Bokuto sang, drawing his name out for a few seconds. “We’re here.”

Shouyou’s head snapped up; he hadn’t even noticed when the bus slowed to a stop. Heart in his throat, he grinned at Iwaizumi, who slung a casual arm over Shouyou’s shoulders and smiled back. “You know, Shouyou,” the athletic trainer started thoughtfully. “One of the best things about you and Tooru is that  _ you’re _ the one who has to deal with him now, not me.”

Hinata laughed, shaking his head. “I’d ask for a little more sympathy, Iwaizumi-san, but I think you’re going to have your hands full either way.” Right on cue, feet began thundering past them as their teammates hopped off to look around, distinctive red hair leading the pack.

“Why did I let him bring Tendou?” Iwaizumi sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose wearily. “I swear, Keiji’s the only other sane person on this fucking bus.” Bokuto and Hinata just laughed at him, and even Akaashi was biting his lip to keep from smiling. “What did I ever do to deserve this?” he asked, standing to follow the team outside.

“You just prepared too well with Oikawa,” Akaashi said with a shrug. “You’ve proven that you’re capable of taking care of men who act like children, so now you can’t get away from them. If they’re not on your team, they’re dating someone who is.”

They hopped off the bus, standing at the back of their group and letting the ceaseless chatter wash over them. Thankfully, their coach took charge soon enough, directing them towards the hotel where they would be staying. And actually, their group calmed down considerably as they made their way across the courtyard--it wasn’t silent, little conversations were still going on here and there, but most of their attention had been drawn by the crowds and buildings around them. Different languages threaded through the evening air, winding together into something almost incomprehensible, and as they got closer to the hotel it became more and more crowded.

It reminded Shouyou of Brazil.

A smile tugged at Shouyou’s lips, and the ginger found himself bouncing slightly with excitement and contentment. It was actually kind of nice to be surrounded by foreign languages again. It reminded Shouyou of how exciting and  _ terrifying _ those first few months in Brazil had been, back when he barely knew any Portuguese and got lost almost every day.

Shouyou could feel the energy crackling under his skin as they all got checked in. He started to follow his teammates to the elevators when he heard unmistakable Spanish behind him. He whirled around instantly, eyes zeroing in on the team heading down the opposite hallway. He knew that uniform.

Once again, a large hand ruffled his hair, and Bokuto grabbed Shouyou’s bag from him before the ginger could argue. “Have fun, don’t do anything Keiji wouldn’t do,” he teased lightheartedly, giving the smaller player a small nudge.

Well, that was all he needed to hear. He didn’t want to run across the lobby, didn’t want to run into anyone, but he was still across the room in seconds. Now out of the crowds, Shouyou allowed himself to run, a smile growing on his face as familiar faces appeared. He knew the Argentinian team fairly well since he and Tooru talked so much. All of them had been in a video call at least twice, and with all the stories Tooru told him it felt like he had known them for years.

Tooru was facing away from him, naturally, talking to Luciano. Was Shouyou about to be very dramatic? Yes. Would he regret it? Absolutely not.

“Tooru!”

The brunet’s head snapped up, and he turned around just in time to catch Shouyou when he collided with him. Tooru stumbled back a few steps (Luciano, being the smart man that he was, had quickly moved to the side when he noticed Shouyou approaching). Shouyou could hear the other teammates laughing, undoubtedly teasing him for his enthusiastic entrance, but he didn’t care.

“Hi,” he said, pressing his face into Tooru’s shoulder to hide his grin. Tooru’s arms tightened around him, and Shouyou could feel him shaking with incredulous laughter and the buzz of adrenaline--from having a small ginger bullet slam into him at full speed, probably.

Tooru took in a shaky breath. “Hi,” he breathed. He pulled back just enough to pull Shouyou into a fervent kiss, ignoring the comments and laughter from his teammates surrounding them. Clearly, as far as Tooru was concerned, he and Shouyou were the only people in that hallway.

He did pull back far too soon for Shouyou’s liking, but he kept a tight grip on Shouyou’s hand, fingers intertwining. “Where’s your team, Shou?” he asked with a raised brow, finally regaining some of his composure.

Shouyou shrugged. “Good question. They went up to their rooms, I think?”

A slow grin spread over Tooru’s face. “Hinata Shouyou, did you abandon your teammates to come find me?” he asked flirtatiously.

“Uh, yeah, I thought that would be obvious,” Shouyou retorted. “Besides, Bokuto knows where I went, so he’ll keep the team from self-destructing or sending out a search party when they notice I’m gone.”

Tooru laughed again, shaking his head as he led Shouyou into the elevator. “Your concern for your teammates is truly inspiring.”

“They’ll be fine; they have Iwaizumi-san!” Shouyou was entirely unrepentant. “How else am I gonna keep Kageyama on his toes?”

And as Tooru muttered, “I can’t believe I’m starting to feel bad for Tobio chan,” under his breath, Shouyou pressed in closer, feeling more settled than he had in weeks. The stress and anticipation of playing at the Olympics and the exhaustion brought on by the grueling practice schedule the team had followed all melted away. For now, watching Tooru’s teammates laugh and jostle each other playfully on their way to their rooms, Shouyou was right where he wanted to be.

Tooru was exhausted.

Obviously, no game at the  _ Olympics _ was going to be a walk in the park, but Argentina’s match against Japan had pushed both teams beyond their limits as they battled fiercely for every point. Everyone had certainly improved since high school--even Ushiwaka, although Tooru didn’t want to admit it--and it took everything Argentina had to snatch that win.

But they had won. And as he had looked across the court, taking in his teammates and opponents, Tooru couldn’t help but think about how much fun he’d had.

He had an orange-haired gremlin to thank for  _ that _ mindset.

That orange-haired gremlin had met his eyes from across the net, nearly shaking with exertion and adrenaline but eyes still bright with the joy Shouyou always seemed to feel when he was on the court. Shouyou had grinned at him, shrugging helplessly as if to say  _ Well, there we have it _ . If there was one thing Tooru loved about playing against his boyfriend, it was that while neither ever held back against each other, their competitiveness dropped as soon as the last point was called. Shouyou was genuinely happy for Tooru. What had he done to deserve this?

_ Iwa-chan’s right, you are a sap. _

And now here he was, leaning against a pillar outside the hotel with his teammates, waiting for Shouyou to join them for dinner. Shouyou had mentioned bringing his teammates, which had nearly made Tooru double over laughing. Oh, this was going to be fun. Shou-chan  _ would _ decide to announce their relationship right after Oikawa’s team had beaten Hinata’s. At the Olympics. And when he explained the situation to his teammates (who were wondering what on his phone was really  _ that _ funny), their excitement rivaled Tooru’s. Ah, Tooru loved his team.

And as if their thoughts had summoned him, Shouyou barreled outside, teammates following at a much more casual pace. Tooru watched the Japanese team’s confusion grow as Oikawa’s teammates descended upon Hinata, ruffling his hair and greeting him enthusiastically. Shouyou had picked up just enough Spanish over the last few years to keep a conversation going, and he laughed as he was engulfed in the team’s collective embrace.

By now the entire Japanese team was outside, plus Iwa-chan and Akaashi. The two were standing to the side with Bokuto, and all three were wearing undeniable smirks. Oh, they loved knowing before everyone else. Iwa-chan and Akaashi, especially, had always had a penchant for viewing chaos from the sidelines.

“Hey,” Atsumu started slowly, hands in his pockets. “We know that Shouyou’s cute enough that everyone wants to keep him, but can we have him back? We were kind of on our way to dinner.” Tooru had to give him credit for how genuinely civil he was being with the team that had just beaten them and, for all intents and purposes, kidnapped one of their own.

It took Shouyou repeating Atsumu’s request in Spanish (several times) for the Argentinian team to reluctantly let the ginger go, Luciano and Hector grumbling with exaggerated annoyance.

“Hinata, come on, let’s--”

Hoshiumi’s statement was cut short when Shouyou exclaimed “Tooru!” and crashed into Oikawa’s waiting arms. Shouyou wasted no time in wrapping his legs around Tooru’s waist and kissing him fervently. Tooru was certainly not about to complain. One arm wound around the younger man’s waist while the other hand wove itself into Shouyou’s hair. Forget their teammates, forget dinner, Tooru was happy to just stay there for the rest of the night.

They only separated when Bokuto’s laughter ripped through the unnatural silence that had fallen over the group. Tooru and Shouyou glanced over to see the man nearly wheezing, he was laughing so hard, phone in hand and pointed at the Japanese team. Akaashi, too, had his phone out, and his hand was much steadier than Bokuto’s, although he and Iwa-chan were stifling laughter as well.

“They promised Yachi they’d get the team’s reactions on camera,” Shouyou whispered in Tooru’s ear before giving him a peck on the cheek and sliding to the ground.

“Of course they did,” Tooru replied with a helpless laugh. He’d say that Shouyou’s friends were ridiculous, but considering his own teammates, he didn’t really have a leg to stand on. That  _ did _ remind him of their audience, though, and he didn’t fight his satisfied grin as he turned to face Hinata’s teammates.

Ushijima looked like he had just been hit by a truck. Kageyama was staring at Shouyou, shock and betrayal swimming in his eyes (And people said  _ Tooru _ was dramatic!). Atsumu’s jaw had dropped, eyes flitting between Shouyou and Tooru in disbelief. Sakusa and Hoshiumi honestly didn’t look that affected--Hoshiumi was watching the spectacle with interest while Sakusa looked on in exasperation.

Shouyou forced his face into a neutral expression, feigning innocence as he turned back to his teammates. “You mind if my boyfriend and his teammates come with us?” he asked, and Bokuto howled with renewed laughter as Hinata’s team finally exploded.

Surprisingly, the team all managed to save their questions until they were sitting down and had their food, but after that the floodgates were opened. “When the  _ fuck _ did you start dating  _ Oikawa _ ?” Kageyama asked incredulously, staring at Shouyou as if he had never seen the man before.

Shouyou shrugged, idly threading his fingers through Tooru’s. “Four years ago?” he responded, glancing at Tooru for confirmation. “It was a few months after I went to Brazil. His team was training in Rio for a week and we ran into each other.”

“So you’re saying that after a week of seeing Oikawa in Rio, you started dating him.”

Did Tobio-chan not  _ believe _ them? Now that was just insulting. Before Tooru could snap at the setter, though, Shouyou interjected thoughtfully, “Well, our relationship officially started the day he left, yeah, but I’d say it really started that first night on the beach, don’t you think?”

“Well, considering Oikawa called me immediately after, freaking out about meeting Karasuno’s #10 on the beach and making out with him, I’d say you’re onto something there, Shouyou,” Iwa-chan said dryly.

“Hey!” Tooru protested. “Iwa-chan, I was not freaking out!” Iwaizumi simply gave him an unimpressed look, and Tooru relented. “Okay, maybe I was freaking out a little.”

“Mm-hmm, that’s what I thought.”

“Wait, back up, you  _ knew _ ?” Atsumu was watching Iwa-chan, aghast, and Tooru couldn’t help the snort that escaped him.

“Are you kidding, Miya-chan? Iwa-chan is my best friend and 90% of my impulse control, he was absolutely essential to this relationship from the beginning.” Tooru grinned at his best friend, who just rolled his eyes and turned back to his food.

Bokuto’s phone chimed, and his smile grew impossibly wide as he looked over the screen. “Shouyou,” he crowed. “Yachi-chan loved the pictures! She said Keiji’s video was a ‘cinematic masterpiece.’ She’s already watched it three times. She showed it to Shimizu-san, too. She said Shimizu-san actually  _ laughed _ .”

“Considering your hands were shaking too much to see anything, I’m glad something got through to her,” Akaashi said with a shrug. “It was a good idea to have both of us recording, Hajime,” he added, nodding at Iwaizumi.

Hoshiumi burst into laughter. “Wait, Bokuto, you and Akaashi knew, too? And Yachi-san?” He laughed harder at Bokuto’s enthusiastic nod. “Oh, god, I can’t believe you managed to keep it a secret! How long have you known?”

“Since a few months after it happened,” Akaashi said without looking up from the phone he was typing into--responding to Yachi, most likely. “And Shouyou, you said you called Yachi-chan the day Oikawa left Rio, right?”

Shouyou nodded, still entirely unrepentant. “Yep! Besides Iwaizumi-san, she was the first person to know. Well, except Pedro,” he amended, “but as far as people from  _ Japan _ , she and Iwaizumi-san were the first to know.”

“But why did you keep it a secret until now, Hinata? Did you think that we would not support you in your relationship?” Ushijima broke in, brow furrowed. Honestly, he looked more confused than offended, which was nice. Tooru really wasn’t in the mood to fight with Ushiwaka right now.

Hinata choked on his drink, shoulders shaking with laughter as he tried to recover. Once he could breathe again, he grinned mischievously and said, “That’s the thing, Ushijima-san. I wasn’t keeping it a secret.” He was unfazed by his teammates’ dubious looks. “No, really, I wasn’t! I told you I had a boyfriend in South America, I told you he was Japanese and played volleyball professionally. No one ever asked for a name or a picture. Eventually it was funny enough that Tooru and I just wanted to see how long it would take for someone to catch on, but you were all taking too long. We got tired of it,” he complained.

“So, you didn’t tell us who you were dating… for your own entertainment,” Sakusa said matter-of-factly, entirely unbothered.

Tooru shrugged. “Yeah, pretty much.”

Atsumu thought about that for a minute, then said, “You know, I probably would have done the same thing.”

“Yes, you would have,” Hinata and Akaashi said in unison. Shouyou continued. “So, are we all good? I’d apologize for keeping this from you for a joke, but I’m not really sorry.”

Cheeky little shit. Tooru loved him so much.

Slowly, the cacophony settled, and although many of the Japanese players kept sending Tooru and Shouyou slightly bewildered looks, none of them seemed angry anymore. Clearly, it was time for Tooru to do what he does best and create more chaos through his sheer perfection. He looked down at Shouyou, who of course knew what he was thinking and sighed, although he couldn’t smother his wicked smile. “Fine, Tooru, go ahead,” he said, shaking his head. His fingers tightened around Tooru’s, so he knew that Shouyou definitely wasn’t reluctant to go along with him. The ginger was just as bad as he was. He was perfect. So Tooru smirked, raised his voice enough for the entire table to hear, and said,

“So, would this be a bad time to tell you we got engaged last night?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it! Thanks to everyone who has read my little Oihina story, I'm glad some of you have enjoyed the fluff. Let me know what you think of the ending, and I'll see you next time!


End file.
